*MD, others arraigned for alleged bribery
Innocent Anaba
04 October 2012, Sweetcrude, LAGOS – INTEGRATED Oil and Gas Limited, its Managing Director, Mr. Anthony Ihenacho; the Assistant General Manager, Supplies, Mr. Humphrey Okoh and the Financial Controller of the company, Mr. Akinwusi Julius, have been arraigned before a Tapa Magistrate Court, Lagos, for alleged bribe offered to members of the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidy Verification.
It is a fresh travail for Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, recently sealed off and its chairman, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, and some other workers arrested by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Satety Agency, NIMASA, for alleged involvement in petroleum products theft.
Three members of the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidy Verification – Alalade Abioye, Buhari Ganiyu and Oni Oluwasola – were charged alongside the oil company and its workers.
The defendants were alleged to have, on August, 30 2012, at Integrated Oil
And Gas Ltd, 190 Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos, in the Lagos Magistrate District, conspired with others (now at large) and offered N1.5 million to members of the Presidential Committee for the performance of their duties, an offence punishable under Section 63(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
Police Prosecutor, Mr Effiong Asuquo, of Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, told the court, yesterday, that the alleged bribe was offered to members of the Presidential Committee, namely, Alalade Abioye, Buhari Ganiyu, Oni Oluwasola and Chukwujekwu Akabueze.
When the charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty and were granted bail by Magistrate Matins Owumi in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.